Boarding at Queen Ethelburga’s is the best....
"Since I came here I am doing better in class, I have lots of friends and I’m having fun." Boy boarder aged 17 years

"The place is so fantastic. My bedroom is really cool and gorgeous. All my friends agree with me when we give it 11 out of 10." Girl boarder aged 13 years.

"We like it a lot!" Brother & Sister (11 & 13) .... and who are we to quarrel with those sentiments.

High quality
Boarding today is transparent. By this, we mean that boarding at Queen Ethelburga’s is a very open place. Because many people consider us one of the UK’s premier boarding schools we receive regular visitors: prospective parents and pupils, current parents and guardians, inspectors, consultants, journalists, plus members of national and local government. This transparency means that the qualities of Queen Ethelburga’s shine out and are obvious to anyone who shows an interest in what we have to offer.

Boarding opportunities
What does boarding at Queen Ethelburga’s offer? First and foremost, we give parents and their children a wide range of boarding options.

Full boarding
Full boarding gives girls and boys the opportunity to live at the Collegiate for all of the term. Girls and boys can visit parents or relations on the odd weekend if it is desired. We are committed to providing a balanced and inclusive life for the increasing numbers of girls and boys who board. Plus in addition to developing academic skills, our boarders take part in a host of extra-curricular activities such as visits to tourist attractions, the cinema, shopping, sport, swimming, art, drama, and music. Life is certainly not dull!

Weekly Boarding
Weekly boarding is full boarding during the week, with the same qualities and opportunities, except that every weekend girls and boys go home either on a Friday evening or after academic and sporting commitments on a Saturday. Some families choose weekly boarding because both parents have demanding careers. They realise that the time spent with their children at the weekends gives the opportunity for talking and being active together ­ something that is not possible during the week.

Others choose this option because the nature of daily journeys to and from school and for any out-of-school activities means that an inordinate amount of time is spent sitting in a car. Many families have done their sums and acknowledge boarding, both full and weekly, is a better option, in terms of both the family budget and in the use of time. About 20% of our senior boarders choose weekly boarding.

Flexi-Boarding
The newest form of boarding is flexi-boarding, where girls and boys and their families may opt for boarding on an ad hoc basis. Flexi-boarding enables parents to be away overnight, secure in the knowledge that their child is in a safe and caring environment in which they can continue their academic and extracurricular interests.

Forces Children
We welcome children of service families as boarders. As the children of some of our staff serve in the Armed Forces we are in a good position to know the things that concern Forces families where you can be moved at little or no notice. Forces wives have to keep the home together while husbands are on unaccompanied postings. Having your children in a school where the Head fully appreciates modern Forces life can help tremendously.